Gary – My first guitar was an Alvarez Classic Custom. I still
have it & play it.

QRD – What’s your typical set-up from guitar to effects to amplifier?

Gary – Usually an Alvarez Classic Custom into 2 Alesis Nanoverbs into
an Ampeg Reverberocket.

QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig - guitar, amplifier,
or effects?

Gary – Certainly the guitar.

QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?

Gary – Ampeg Reverberockets meet most of my needs.

QRD – What’s your main guitar & what are the features that make
it such?

Gary – Alvarez Classic Customs are my favorite guitars. They
made a certain model for a year or so back in the 90s. It’s a
Dana design, but not a “scoop”. I love everything about them,
the weight, the tone, neck & scale length. They are
workhorses, nearly unbreakable, inexpensive. They hold
alternate tuning extremely well & have a great all around
sound. On the acoustic side, I play my custom made Kopp
Paloma Hybrid. It was designed exclusively around my playing
style & just feels “right” in every sense of the word.

QRD – If you had a signature guitar, what would it look like &
what would some of its features be?

Gary – Most would say the Alvarez’s I own are my signature
guitar. I play them almost exclusively.

QRD – If you had a signature pedal, what would it be & what
would some of its features be?

Gary – I rarely use pedals, but I guess my Malekko analog delay would
be my pedal of choice.

Gary – Right now, the ones that aren’t being used are cased &
stacked in a corner of my studio.

QRD – What do you wish guitar cases had that they usually don’t?

Gary – Built in ashtrays.

QRD – How much do you think a good guitar should cost?

Gary – $200.00 I usually refuse to pay more for one.

QRD – Do you upgrade & customize your guitars or just stick
with what you get?

Gary – I usually block off a tremolo if it has one. I use so
many different tunings that tremolos are useless for me.

QRD – How thoroughly do you research or test a piece of equipment
before buying it?

Gary – I’ll play around with something. I don’t do much
research though. If I like it & think I’ll actually
use it, then I’ll buy it.

QRD – Do you change your rig around often?

Gary – Not very often. Depending on venue size or who I’m
playing with, there are slight changes.

QRD – Are you after one particular guitar tone & locking into
it, or do you like to change your tone around a lot?

Gary – I have a fairly consistent tone with most guitars.

QRD – What are some guitars, amps, & pedals you particularly
lust after?

Gary – Nothing at the moment.

QRD – What do you think are some important features to be on a person’s
first guitar that aren’t always there?

Gary – I think people usually go for cheap beginner guitars &
that’s a mistake. You can find great guitars that will stay
with you for a lifetime for the same price as these “throwaway” starter
guitars. I always suggest that people buy something real
& solid.

QRD – What have been the best & worst guitar related purchases
you’ve made?

Gary – I’m picky about what I buy, so there hasn’t been any “worst”
purchases. The best purchase has been my Nanoverbs I think.

QRD – What’s the first thing you play when you pick up a guitar?

Gary – That depends on which tuning I’m in.

QRD – How old were you when you started playing guitar?

Gary – I started late in life. I didn’t buy my first guitar
until I was 19.

QRD – At what age do you think you leveled up to your best guitar
playing?

Gary – I think I played my best at the beginning. Everything
was new & fresh & exciting then. The more you
learn the better you get, but the exploration & excitement
fades a bit it seems.

QRD – Why do you think a guitar fits you more so than other instruments?

Gary – The range of sounds that are possible.

QRD – Do you think guitar should be people’s first instrument as often
as it is?

Gary – I guess that really depends on the individual.

QRD – Do you see your guitar as your ally or adversary in making music?

Gary – Definitely an ally.

QRD – Who are the guitarists that most influenced your playing
& sound?

Gary – I’m sure there are influences that come through, but I’ve never
tried to emulate anyone with my playing or sound.

QRD – Do you think people anthropomorphizing their guitars is natural
or silly (e.g. naming their guitar)?

Gary – All my guitars have names. I do find it silly, but I
like silliness.

QRD – What’s the most physical damage you’ve done to a guitar &
how did you do it?

Gary – I broke a tuning peg off my first Alvarez by throwing it
& jumping on it. That was back in my punk rock
days. Goes to show how solid those guitars are.

QRD – What do you do to practice other than simply playing?

Gary – If I’m playing live for other projects, then I listen a lot to
their recordings. Other than that, I simply play when I want
to play.

QRD – How many hours a week do you play guitar & how many hours
would you like to?

Gary – Time varies. Sometimes I go days without touching a
guitar.

QRD – What type of pick do you use & why?

Gary – I primarily fingerpick, but when I do use a pick its usually a
.60 MM Dunlop nylon. I like the way they sound on the strings.

QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?

Gary – On the electrics I use 12s in flat-wounds. I slide
around a lot & I’m not a fan of string noise. The
acoustics are usually strung up with Martin XP 12s.

QRD – How often do you change strings?

Gary – It depends.

QRD – How often do you break strings?

Gary – Rarely.

QRD – Which do you feel is more proficient, your strumming hand or
fretting hand & how does that effect your style?

Gary – I think my strumming/picking hand effects my style more.

QRD – Do you set-up your guitar yourself or send it to a guitar tech
(or not set it up at all) & why?

Gary – I have a guitar tech.

QRD – What tunings do you use & why?

Gary – I use several different tunings. For me it just adds
excitement when writing & playing. I’ll often write
something in one tuning & learn it in others.

QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation
system for writing down your own ideas?

Gary – I have my own secret code when first writing something or
learning other artist’s songs that I will play live.

QRD – How high do you hold your guitar when playing (strap length)?

Gary – I usually hold mine rather low.

QRD – What’s a bad habit in your playing you wish you could break?

Gary – Nothing I can think of.

QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help
someone’s guitar playing?

Gary – Anything.

QRD – What’s a type of guitar playing you wish you could do that you
can’t?